It's not often that council decisions are greeted with whoops of joy but that was the case on Thursday when Nambucca Shire councillors gave the green light for Lesley Flanders to purchase a piece of land west of the Bowraville Racecourse.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The request was first received by the council back in September 2016 and relates to the Flanders family connection with the land for many generations.
Neighbours of the block, Renee Burgess and Paul Hoffman, both raised objections against the recommendation that 'council finalise the closure of a section of road and create a title with the land to be classified as operational (and therefore able to be sold)'.
Ms Burgess said she had at no point been fully informed of the proceedings and questioned the reclassification of land.
"My concerns are the financial implications of this and also the need to look at the boundaries. I would also like to know what is the desired land use," Ms Burgess said.
Mr Hoffman said he represented three adjacent land holders who did not support the road closure.
"This is undersized land that is not entitled to a building envelope ... many are watching to see if this is a precedent to building on undersized blocks," Mr Hoffman said.
Dr Danny Ryan spoke on behalf of the Flanders family saying the request had the support of the extended family, as well as the wider Aboriginal community of Bowraville.
"The family has a long history with this land, many were born there and there is a tradition of planting placentas there," Dr Ryan said.
"Lesley believed the land was subject to a 99-year-lease but the family's attachment goes back much further ... her preference is to purchase rather than lease and she fully understands there is no building envelope.
"The family simply want to maintain connection and care for the land ... Lesley is happy to meet all the costs."
Cr Anne Smyth then moved an alternative motion that 'council proceed to close the section of road, create a title and transfer the land to Ms Lesley Flanders subject to her meeting all of the costs and paying an agreed price to be determined by Council'.
Crs Susan Jenvey and Janene Reed supported the motion, the latter saying she had done her own research and found a great amount of evident supporting the family's connection to the land.
Cr Martin Ballangarry said a "big injustice was done a long time ago" and the attachment to the land was much longer than 100 or 200 years.
Cr Rhonda Hoban said she did not want to be seen to be taking money under false pretences and raised a number of concerns, including that the land was connected to other families, who might potentially lay claim in the future. She also emphasised the point that as an undersized lot, the land was never likely to gain a dwelling entitlement.
Cr David Jones said it was not necessary to restate what the legal situation was regarding building entitlements.
The motion was passed unanimously.
As she stood to leave Mrs Ann Edwards thanked the councillors for doing the right thing.